Culhwch

Welsh - Son of Cilydd and Goleuddydd. Cousin of King Arthur. He was born when his mother went mad and ran into a field full of pigs. She then ran off, leaving the child to be found by a swineherd. When Cilydd's first wife died he took the wife of King Doged and she charged Culhwch to marry none but Olwen the daughter of the chief giant, Ysbaddaden. He enlisted the help of his cousin, King Arthur, by reciting the names and rank of all the 200 or more guests at Camelot and the king provided him with an escort of many talented warriors. Ysbaddaden laid down thirty-nine conditions that Culhwch must fulfil before he would consent to his daughter's marriage, knowing from an old prophecy that when she married he would die. The tasks involved, amongst other things, clearing a thicket and ploughing the land; obtaining from many widely scattered sources a huge cauldron, a drinking horn and a wine cup, a never-empty hamper, a harp that could play itself, bottles that kept liquids warm and others that kept milk fresh, the blood of a witch, the tusk of a boar, the sword of Gwrnach the giant, and huntsmen, hounds and horses to hunt down the boar Twrch Trwyth and seize the comb, razor and shears carried between the huge animal's ears. After many adventures, in which he was helped by the band of warriors provided by Arthur, all these objectives were achieved and Culhwch claimed Olwen as his bride. Her father was killed by Goreu, fulfilling the old prophecy, and Culhwch took over his lands. In some accounts, called Culhwch, Kilhwch, Kilhwch, Kilhwych, Kilhwych, Kulhwch, Kulhwch, Kilhw(y)ch, Kilhw(y)ch, Pig-sty or Pig-sty.